Disposable protective liner

ABSTRACT

A thin flexible protective liner for use as a disposable undergarment to protect outer garments from the transmission of soilage and disease, comprising a trunk section and leg sections formed to enclose the human body from above the knees to the neck wherein donning and removal of the liner is accomplished through a front slit in the trunk. The protective liner may further include a reinforcing panel in the groin area thereof.

United States Patent [191 Lafollette [451 Dec.25, 1973 DISPOSABLE PROTECTIVE LINER [76] Inventor: Amy W. Lafollette, Rt. 3, Red Oak,

Iowa 51566 [22] Filed: July 20, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 273,491

[52] US. Cl 2/78 R [5]] A4lb 9/00 [58] Field of Search 2/78 R, 79, 113, 2/DIG. 7

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,799,023 7/1957 Goodman 2/78 R 1,688,910 l0/l928 Winship 2/78 R 2,668,294 2/1954 Gilpin ZIDIG. 7

Primary Examiner--H. Hampton Hunter Art0rneyLouis J. Strom et al.

[ 5 7 1 ABSTRACT A thin flexible protective liner for use as a disposable undergarment to protect outer garments from, the transmission of soilage and disease, comprising a trunk section and leg sections formed to enclose the human body from above the knees to the neck wherein donning and removal of the liner is accomplished through a front slit in the trunk. The protective liner may further include a reinforcing panel in the groin area thereof.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIED HERE 5 I975 FIG. 3

DISPOSABLE PROTECTIVE LINER BACKGROUND This invention relates to a protective liner, and more particularly to a disposable protective liner employed to protect outer garments when the outer garments are tried on by customers in a retail clothing establishment. Typically a customer desires to try on a garment prior to purchase so that the correct size and/or flattering style is verified. Merchants normally encourage the trying on of garments to promote a more rapid sale of the garment, and to insure customer satisfaction of the fit and appearance if in fact the customer buys the garment. Often, garments are tried on by a number of prospective customers before the garment is sold.

The present day mode of dress of both men and women is to wear few and scanty underclothes. For the above-mentioned reasons, a large portion of a prospective customers body is in direct contact with the garment being tried on. A considerable number of prospective customers are afflicted with offensive skin diseases, distasteful odors, perspiration or are unclean. These distasteful body conditions are often transmitted to the garment through the direct contact with the prospective customers body. To assure a clean and sanitary garment at the time of the garments sale, the merchant must periodically clean those garments offered for sale, or alternatively he must risk customer dissatisfaction with unclean merchandise, or alternatively he must offer the garment for sale at a lower than usual price. Any or all of these alternatives reduce the merchants profit on the garment, and unless the garment is cleaned, the customer is subjected to the peril of becoming afflicted with a distasteful disease.

The existing configurations for a protective liner are not suitable for use beneath all styles of garments as they utilize either a skirt type embodiment in the crotch area or do not cover the trunk of the wearer. Many present day clothing styles conform snugly and smoothly to the body of the wearer. Presently existing protective liners are too bulky and tend to form rigid creases which impairs the appearance of the aforementioned garments.

SUMMARY The protective liner of this invention is comprised of a generally cylindrical trunk section, joining two generally cylindrical leg sections. The trunk section is closed at the top except for'three openings, a neck opening coaxial to the trunk section, and two co-axial arm openings perpendicular to the axis of the trunk section. A slit extends longitudinally from the neck opening, equidistant from the arm openings, and extends approximately one-half the length of the body section. The portions of the protective liner on either side of the slit may be folded over, thus forming lapels. In use, the pro tective liner is worn by the prospective customer over the underclothes but beneath the garment being tried It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a protective liner that may be worn beneath all styles of garments.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a protective liner which is easily donned or removed by the wearer.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a substantially impervious protective liner that prevents transmission of offensive skin diseases, distasteful odors, perspiration or soilage to the garment being tried on.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of a protective liner that eliminates the necessity of periodically cleaning the garment prior to its sale.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a protective liner to increase customer satisfaction with the cleanliness of the garments.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a protective liner that inhibits the transmission of communicable diseases.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a protective liner that is flexible and clings to the body of the wearer to facilitate a snug and smooth fitting of the garment.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a protective liner which is economical in cost and extremely effective in use.

These objects and other features and advantages become more readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the protective liner of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof as it would appear on the body of a wearer;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the blank from which the liner is made before the legs are formed; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the liner showing a reinforcing panel at the juncture of the trunk and legs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The protective liner, being made of a thin and flexible material, has no permanent shape of its own, however, it is shown in the drawings in FIG. 2, as it would appear in use on the body of a wearer.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown therein the protective liner generally designated at 10. The protective liner is comprised of two generally rectangular sheets l1, 12 of thin plastic like material having substantially the same size and shape. A front sheet 1 l and a rear sheet 12 are affixed to each other along their two longer edges and one of their shorter edges of their periphery leaving an opening on the lower side thereof, thus forming a generally tubular structure closed at the upper end. A generally circular neck opening 13 is formed through the upper, closed end in the center thereof. Two generally circular, spaced apart, arm openings 14 are formed through the tubular sidewall intersecting the edges of the front sheet 11 and rear sheet 12 and adjacent to the upper, closed end of the protective liner l0. Extending longitudinally downward from the neck opening 13 is a slit 16 through the centerline of the front sheet 11. The material on either side of the slit 16 may be folded outward forming lapels 17 to facilitate the donning or removing of the protective liner. After donning the protective liner 10 the lapels 17 may be folded outward to expose the neckline of the wearer thus enhancing the appearance of garments having a low neckline.

In both the front sheet 11 and the rear sheet 12 (FIGS. 1 and 3) are cut two parallel inverted V shaped notches 15 extending longitudinally upward from the bottom of the protective liner to a distance approximately equal to one-fourth of the height of the protective liner 10. The front sheet 11 and the rear sheet 12 are affixed to each other along the right edge 18 of the V shaped notches forming a left leg 19 section. Likewise, the front sheet 11 and rear sheet 12 are affixed to each other along the left edge 20 of the V shaped notch 15 forming a right leg 21 section.

Turning to FIG. 4, it is understood that the crotch area 26 of the protective liner may be subject to stress when a wearer bends over, walks, or engages in other physical activity while considering the purchase of a garment. To reduce the possibility of ripping or tearing due to stresses or the like, the crotch area 26 may be reinforced by affixing an additional panel 27 or panels to this area. Although the panel 27 may be of other configurations, a preferred embodiment is depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4 comprising an hour-glass shaped panel 27 sealed to the protective liner 10 such that the two wide ends of the panel 27 are above the crotch area 26 while the narrow section of the panel 27 is intermediate the legs 21, 19 of the protective liner 10.

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, there is shown by dotted outline therein a large plastic bag 22 such as those that are commonly placed over garments at dry cleaning establishments. The protective liner may be readily formed from such a bag 22 by the removal of a neck opening 13 from the center of the closed end 23 of the bag 22. Two arm openings 14 are formed in the sides of the bag 22 near the closed end 23 of the bag. The slit 16 is formed extending downward from the neck opening 13 and terminating at approximately the vertical midpoint of the bag 22. Two parallel inverted V shaped notches 24 are removed from the open end of the bag 22. The application of heat and pressure to the parallel edges of the notches will readily melt the plastic material effectuating an integral joinder of the parallel edges forming the legs 19 and 21. The crotch panel 27 may also be readily sealed to the liner by the use of heat. The above described method of manufacture is extremely simple and inexpensive.

To use the protective liner 10, the prospective customer removes his or her outer garments, and steps into the protective liner 10 through the opening formed by the neck opening 13 and the slit 16. The customers legs are then inserted into the appropriate leg sections 19 and 21 and the customers arms are inserted through the arm openings 14. The lapels are then folded outward a convenient amount and the garment to be tried on is donned. Thinness and flexibility of the material allows the protective liner 10 to cling to the body of the wearer and is impervious to the transmission of offensive body conditions to the garment, or from the garment to the wearer. Due to the provision of legs 19 and 21 in the protective liner, it may be worn effectively beneath garments of any style, including trousers. The extremely low cost of the protective liner l0 permits disposal thereof after use by the prospective customer.

I claim:

1. A flexible protective liner comprising:

a generally cylindrical trunk section having a closed top end and an open bottom end, said trunk section having two coaxial arm openings formed therein proximate said top end, a neck opening formed in said top end, and a slit formed in said trunk section commencing at said neck opening and depending therefrom approximately one-half the length of said trunk section; and

two cylindrical leg sections secured to said trunk section bottom end, wherein said slit is adapted to provide an entryway for the body of a person when donning said liner and is adapted to provide an exitway for the body of a person when removing said liner, and said liner being constructed of a material that will cling to the body and is impervious to the transmission of offensive bodily conditions, and other garments can be donned thereover.

2. A disposable flexible protective liner as defined in claim 1 wherein said trunk section is formed from two generally rectangular sheets which are affixed together along their side edges and their top edge thus forming a generally tubular structure closed at its top end.

3. A disposable flexible protective liner as defined in claim 2 wherein each said sheet has an inverted V- shaped notch cut therefrom in alignment with said notch of the other said sheet, and said sheets are joined together at said notch to form said leg sections.

4. A disposable flexible protective liner as defined in claim 3 including a crotch reinforcing section secured to said trunk section adjacent said leg sections.

5. A disposable flexible protective liner as defined in claim 3 wherein said sections are formed from plastic and joined together by the application of heat. 

1. A flexible protective liner comprising: a generally cylindrical trunk section having a closed top end and an open bottom end, said trunk section having two coaxial arm openings formed therein proximate said top end, a neck opening formed in said top end, and a slit formed in said trunk section commencing at said neck opening and depending therefrom approximately one-half the length of said trunk section; and two cylindrical leg sections secured to said trunk section bottom end, wherein said slit is adapted to provide an entryway for the body of a person when donning said liner and is adapted to provide an exitway for the body of a person when removing said liner, and said liner being constructed of a material that will cling to the body and is impervious to the transmission of offensive bodily conditions, and other garments can be donned thereover.
 2. A disposable flexible protective liner as defined in claim 1 wherein said trunk section is formed from two generally rectangular sheets which are affixed together along their side edges and their top edge thus forming a generally tubular structure closed at its top end.
 3. A disposable flexible protective liner as defined in claim 2 wherein each said sheet has an inverted V-shaped notch cut therefrom in alignment with said notch of the other said sheet, and said sheets are joined together at said notch to form said leg sections.
 4. A disposable flexible protective liner as defined in claim 3 including a crotch reinforcing section secured to said trunk Section adjacent said leg sections.
 5. A disposable flexible protective liner as defined in claim 3 wherein said sections are formed from plastic and joined together by the application of heat. 